Tail winding device



Oct. 9, 1951 H. J. M DERMOTT TAIL WINDING DEVICE Filed April 16, 1948 INVENTOR. HENRY d. MCDERMOTT gate'nted Oct. 9, 1951 ran. WINDING DEVICE Henry J. McDcrmott, Coilingdale, Pa., assignor to American Viscose Corporation, Wilmington, Del., a. corporation of Delaware Application April 16, 1948, Serial No. 21,500

' accomplish automatic transfer of the strand from a tail forming device to a guide which traverses the strand when forming the main body of the package. Still another object is to provide a tail forming device attachable to conventional equip- 8 Claims. (Cl. 242-18) ment without any substantial modification thereof. It is an object also to perform the tail winding in such a manner that unusual stresses are not imposed upon the filamentary material. This is of particular moment in the windin of many artificial filamentary materials such as rayon,

nylon or vinyl resinous fibers which, when subjected to tension, undergo molecular orientation. As a result, fabrics which contain sections of yarn such as tall windings which have been subjected to greater or less tension than the remainder of the packages, exhibit differences in appearance, handle and dyeing characteristics at the portions formed from the tail windings. It is a further object to provide a winding machine which may be more rapidly laced, and on which the removal of fully wound packages and the replacement thereof with empty cores may be. expedited. Other objects, features and advantages will be apparent from the following drawings and the description thereof.

In the drawings illustrative of preferred, embodiments of the invention,

1 is a perspective view illustrative of the withdrawal of a strand from a package and the collection thereof on a winding machine according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of a strand package and tail-winding, and a supporting core therefor;

Fig. 3 illustrates a-reciprocable strand guide as used in a preferred embodiment;

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 illustrate modified reciprocable strand guides;

Fig. 7 illustrates a preferred auxiliary tail forming strand-guide; and

Fig. 8 is a modification of the guide shown in Fig. 7.

Briefly. the invention comprises an apparatus ofwhich a member thereof, hereinafter referred to as an auxiliary guide, supports a running strand'during the forming of the tail-winding, and a second member associated with the reciprocable strand guide of a winding machine which removes the strand from the auxiliary guide. The second member causes the strand to drop into the notch or aperture normally provided in a reciprocable thread guide for passage of the strand during building of a package. strand from the auxiliary thread guide is effected by an element which projects upwardly and sidewise in a direction toward the auxiliary guide from the reciprocable guide. This element while carried back and forth by the reciprocable guide at one extremity of its ambit passes through an open region in the auxiliary guide and transversely across the path occupied by the strand when passing through this open region.

Referring to Fig. 1 which illustrates a winding operation as performed by the invention, a strand being withdrawn from a package, such as a cake H, passes through a tensioning device I! thereafter traverses a shifting path to the reciprocable thread guide it. Guide l4 traverses a path longitudinal of the traverse arm l5 for any length necessary to provide builder motion for the package it. Thread guide It is operated by a conventional reciprocator (not shown) which may be synchronized to any spindle speed desired. Spindle speeds in common use lie in the range of 4 to 6 revolutions for each cycle of the guide M and commonly approximate 5 to 5 /2 revolutions per cycle.

In the present invention advantage is taken of the ratio of the spindle speed to the thread guide reciprocation to provide a device for forming a tail winding since five or less turns of strand form a satisfactory tail winding. Accordingly, an auxiliary thread guide i8 is mounted on the traverse arm l5 just beyond the travel of the thread guide It for supporting strand Ill during formation of the tail winding. The path followed by the strand as it passes over the thread guide I4 is indicated by number Illa.

Fig. 2 illustrates a conventional cone package It supported on a core 20. The tail winding II is also shown in an offset position to the right of the main body of the strand cone. The auxiliary' guide i8 is positioned on member I5 with respect to the ambit of thread guide I4 to give approximately the spatial relationship between the main body of the package It and tail winding II as shown in Fig. 2.

Strand i0 is initially laced over auxiliary guide l8 while guide It is in the right portion of its reciprocation cycle, as viewed in Fig. 1, but past the point of reversal and is beginnin to travel toward the left end. It is desired during the proceeding movement of the thread guide It to obtain several winding turns without interference of the guide It with the strand while running over the guide l8. Subsequently when the winding machine is put in operation thread guide It travels toward the left, reverses, travels toward the right completing the second half of the cycle. and upon reaching the extreme right the up- Transfer of the wardly extending element 22a passes between the laterally extendin portions 23 and 24 of auxiliary guide I8. Meanwhile the spindle has rotated through several revolutions to form a tail-winding of a like number of turns of strand upon the core 20. Element 22a engages the strand 50 along path Ina between these fingers in its rightward movement. The strand is prevented from escaping the thread guide by the upwardly extending portions 25 and 2'! of the guide I8. However, immediately after the element 22a completely passes under the thread, the guide l4 reverses and in moving toward the left the thread is lifted off the strand supporting surfaces of portions 23 and 24 of guide l8 and thereafter drops down the left sloping surface of the element 22 and is caught in the notch 26. The strand I is thereafter guided to the surface of core 20 through guide 22 to form a filament package such as that illustrated in Fig. 2.

Elements needed to convert a conventional winding machine from a manual thread guiding to automatic tail winding operation may consist of merely simple attachments formed of wire or sheet metal and attached to parts of a standard winding machine.

Figs. 3, 4. and 6 illustrate simple adaptations which may be mounted on a standard reciprocable thread guide. In Fig. 3 is shown a small thread guide insert 22 held in place by two clamping members '29 forming the upper portion of a thread guide body 30. Insert 22 may be formed integrally with element 22a of any smoothly finished abrasion resistant material such as a glazed porcelain material, alloyed steel, or chromeplated metal. Fig. 4 illustrates a bent wire attachment 22b which may serve as an automatic strand pick-up device when mounted on a thread guide of standard design. Fig. 5 illustrates still another convolute wire attachment which may be used for strand pick-up. Fig. 6 illustrates a strand pick-up device formed from light gauge sheet metal or sheet plastic material. All the devices illustrated in Figs. 3 to 6, inclusive, may be used in cooperation with devices illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 which are known in the text hereinbefore as auxiliary strand or thread guides. The essential feature of such elements I80: and H312 shown in Figs. '7 and 8 respectively is that they have concave or substantially horizontal surfaces for supporting the strand during formation of the tail winding and vertical or upwardly extending surfaces contiguous with the concave surfaces for preventing sidewise movement of the thread in a direction to the right, as viewed in Fig. 2. The construction of the auxiliary thread guide is such, however, that'a strand passing over its supporting surfaces is easily removed therefrom by slight pressure exerted toward the left by element 22a as viewed in Fig. 1, or by any of the alternative elements 22a. 22b, 22c, and 22d, so that the thread or yarn may be immediately trapped thereafter in the reciprocable guide and the normal package-building operation carried out.

The operation of the winding machine continues until the packagehas reached a desired size, whereupon the machine is stopped, usually through the operation of a sizing mechanism such as is generally provided on machines of the present type. The full package is doifed from the spindle core holding device and an empty core is placed on the machine whereupon another winding operation proceeds aS hereinbefore described.

It will be observed that the present invention provides a simple, eflicient and easily constructed device for effecting automatic winding of a reserve length of strand exterior to and contiguous with the buried end of a strand package. The device may in practically all cases consist of two simple inexpensive attachments for installation on standard winding machines. When once properly installed, the parts need no adjustment. The device is applicable to all types of winding machines. Moreover the parts are readily attached, easily adjusted into position, and not liable to breakage or getting out of order. The device is extremely simple to lace and does not require additional manual movements needed to start strand on to a conventional winding machine.

Obviously, many changes and variations can be made in the details of the invention as specifically set forth without departing from the nature and spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a rotatable winding head, a reciprocable strand guide having a strand guiding notch, an auxiliary strand guide having'a strand path therethrough, and a strand-engaging element for the reciprocable guide extending laterally therefrom in a direction toward the auxiliary guide said auxiliary guide having an open region. transversely thereto through which the element may pass along a path intersecting the strand path.

2. In combination, a rotatable winding head, a reciprocable strand guide having a strand-guiding notch, means for reciprocating the guide longitudinally of the winding head axis, a stationary guide having a surface defining a portion of a strand path extending transversely of the surface and of the direction of reciprocation of the reciprocable guide, said surface being positioned adjacent one end of the ambit of the guide and terminating at the end thereof furthest re moved from the ambit in an upwardly extending detent, a strand-engaging element extending upwardly from a portion of the reciprocable guide on the side of the notch toward the stationary guide, the upper end of the element having, on

the side thereof facing the stationary guide, a surface sloping upwardly toward a point over the notch, the element having a surface on the side thereof nearer the notch for guiding a strand to the notch, the topmost portion of said element being higher than said surface of the stationary guide and being spaced with respect to the notch to pass beyond the detent when the reciprocable guide attains its position closest to the stationary u de.

3. In combination, a rotatable winding'head, a reciprocable strand guide having a strand-guiding notch, means for reciprocating the guide longitudinahy of the winding head axis, a, stationary guide having two closely-spaced surfaces defining a strand path extending transversly of the surfaces and of the direction of reciprocation of the reciprocable guide, said surfaces extending in a direction generally parallel to the ambit of the reciprocable guide and being positioned adjacent the end of said ambit, the ends of said surfaces furthest removed from the ambit terminating in an upwardly extendin detent, a strand-engaging element extending upwardly from a portion of the reciprocable guide on the side of the notch having a stationary guide, an upper portion of the element having on the side thereof facing the stationary guide a surface sloping upwardly to.

ward a point over the notch, the element having a surface on the side thereof nearer the notch for guiding a strand to the notch, the topmost portion of the element being higher than said surfaces of the stationary guide and being spaced with respect to the notch to pass beyond the detent when the reciprocable guide attains its position closest to the stationary guide.

4. In combination, a rotatable winding head,

a reciprocable strand guide having a strand-guiding notch, means for reciprocating the guide longitudinally of the winding head axis, a stationary guide having two closely-spaced surfaces defining a portion of a strand path extending transversely of the surfaces and of the direction of reciprocation of the reciprocable guide, said surfaces being positioned just beyond the ambit of the notched portion of the reciprocable guide and terminating at the ends thereof furthest removed from the ambit in an upwardly extending detent, a strand-engaging element extending upwardly from a portion of the reciprocable guide on the side of the notch toward the stationary guide, the upper portion of the element on the side thereof facing the stationary guide, a surface sloping upwardly toward a point over the notch, and the element having a surface on the side thereof nearer the notch for guiding a strand into the notch, the topmost portion of said element being higher than said surfaces of the stationary guide and being sufliciently offset with respect to the notch to pass beyond the detent when the reciprocable guide attains its position closest to the stationary guide.

5. In combination, a rotatable winding head, a reciprocable strand guide having a strand-guiding notch, means for reciprocating the guide longitudinally of the winding head axis, a stationary guide having two closely-spaced surfaces defining a portion of a strand path extending transversely of the surfaces and of thedirection of reciprocation of the reciprocable guide and also defining an open region between said surfaces including the portion of the path therebetween, said surfaces being positioned just beyond the ambit of the notched portion of the reciprocable guide and terminating at the ends thereof furthest removed from the ambit in an upwardly extending detent, a strand-engaging element extending upwardly from a portion of the reciprocable guide on the side of the notch toward the stationary guide, the upper end of the element having on the side thereof facing the stationary guide, a surface sloping upwardly toward a point over the notch, the element having a surface on the side thereof nearer the notch for guiding a strand, the topmost portion of said element being higher than said surfaces of the stationary guide and being sumciently offset with respect to the notch to pass beyond the detent when the reciprocable guide attains its position closest to the stationary guide.

6. In combination, a winding spindle, a package supporting core mounted thereon, a reciprocable strand guide having a strand-guiding notch, means for reciprocating the guide longitudinally of the core except for a marginal portion thereof, a stationary guide having two closely-spaced surfaces spaced in substantially radial alignment with respect to the spindle axis from the margin. said surfaces defining a strand path extending transversely thereto toward the core. a strand-engaging element extending upwardly from a portion of the reciprocable guide on the side of the notch thereof toward the stationary guide, the upper portion of the element having on the side thereof facing the stationary guide, a surface sloping upwardly toward a point over the notch, the element having a surface on-the side thereof nearer the notch for guiding a strand to the notch, the topmost portion of said element being higher than said surfaces of the stationary guide and being offset sufliciently with respect to the notch to pass beyond the detent when the reciprocable guide attains its position closest to the stationary guide.

'7. In combination, a rotatable winding head, a reciprocable strand guide having a strand-guiding notch, means for reciprocating the guide longitudinally of the winding head axis, a stationary guide having two concave-upward surfaces closely spaced in a radial direction with respect to the winding head axis defining a strand path extending transversely of the surfaces and of the direction of reciprocation of the reciprocable guide, said surfaces being positioned just beyond the ambit of the notched portion of the reciprocable guide and terminating at the ends thereof furthest removed from the ambit in an upwardly extending detent, a strand-engaging element extending upwardly from a portion of the reciprocal guide on the side of the notch toward the stationary guide, the upper portion of the element having on the side thereof facing the stationary guide, a surface sloping upwardly toward a point over the notch, the element having a surface on the side thereof nearer the notch for guiding a strand into the notch, the topmost portion of said element being higher than said surfaces of the stationary guide and being offset sufliciently with respect to the notch to pass beyond the detent when the reciprocable guide attains its position closest to the stationary guide.

8. In combination, a winding spindle, a package-supporting core mounted thereon, a reciprocable strand guide having a strand-guiding notch, means for reciprocating the guide longitudinally of the core except for a marginal portion thereof, a stationary guide having at least one upright member with a pair of parallel concave-upward strand supporting surfaces extending laterally from the member toward the region traversed by the reciprocable guide, said concave surfaces spaced in substantially radial alignment with respect to the spindle from said margin, a strandengaging element extending upwardly from the portion of the reciprocable guide on the side of the notch toward the stationary guide, the upper end of the element having on the side thereof facing the stationary guide, a surface sloping upwardly toward the point over the notch, the element having a surface on the side thereof nearer the notch for guiding a strand into the notch, the topmost portion of said element being higher than the concave surfaces and being sufficiently offset with respect to the notch to pass beyond the detent when the reciprocable guide attains its position closest to the stationary guide.

HENRY J. McDERMO'I'I.

Name Date Morton Dec. 25. 1945 Number 

